What happens to someone found illegally downloading music or movies?
The copyright owner or their agent (in many cases this is the Recording Industry Association of America – RIAA) will send a Digital Millenium Copyright Act (i.e., DMCA) take-down notice to the online service provider (the University in the case of UMass students, faculty or staff) hosting the user. The user is issued the notice and required to remove the offending material or respond with a statement, under penalty of perjury, that the downloaded material is not infringing on copyright. Violation of the U.S Copyright law is punishable by fines and/or imprisonment. Under federal law, first-time offenders who commit copyright violations that involve digital recordings can face criminal penalties of as much as five years in prison and/or $250,000 in fines. You could also be sued by the copyright holder in civil court, which could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars more in damages and legal fees. University penalties may included a written warning, temporary or permanent disconnecti
